sam

helped dig our new
raingarden

you see, the deep roots
of the prairie flowers
send rain through to
underground reservoirs
and the watershed gives the wiggling creek her breast

but this is about sam
because I swear without the furry beard
and bug bites between boot tops and jean shorts
his dark hair
would be passing you in a lexus
headed downtown

the spiderwart, sedge, and iris
hang like children from his hands

the pleasant strangeness
of the soil
makes you dig deeper
and the earth around holds upright
weird waxy caps
sweet birch and
blazingstar
in the direction of heaven

but this is about sam
because he seemed shyly
in love with the woman working with him
and after two days'
warm, light rain
you can almost
see these young plants unbending